This shop in Taipei is apparently world famous. I’ve never developed a real liking for it, although I am always happy to return back and give it another shot for data-basing. To understand how influential this awkwardly named Taipei Soybean Specialist Shop is, one will no doubt notice many shops being named as Yonghe 永和豆漿 and leveraging off from here as a brand name in both Taiwan and China. Those are actually fake imitating stores but are thriving as a business model nonetheless. The name Yonghe actually refers to the specific suburb where 世界豆漿大王 World Soybean Milk Magnate was born and became glorified. Another irony about here is that their breakfast and supper dishes are Shanghai inspired in the 1st place rather than Taiwanese, but the goodwill from the namesake is so strong it got re-imported into China.. Taiwan and this shop single handedly put this concept onto the global map indeed…
Savory Soy Bean Milk - 鹹豆漿
Shanghainese in origin, this version in Taipei has fried Chinese cruller flakes only, rather than round crullers. The soybean curd is a bit broken up liquid, but it does have pickles and whitebait fish in it. Not bad but not the best I have had, but already the best item here. ~ 7/10
Cold Soy Milk -
Chinese Soy Milk comes in 2 guises for me - either they are burnt and smoky, or they should carry a lot of natural soy flavour. This version doesn’t satisfy both, it was quite sweet and luckily there was some raw soybean taste at least. Nowadays it is hard to find a great soybean drink though.. ~ 5/10
Crepe Pancake with Fried Chinese Cruller with Pickles and Pork Floss - 燒餅油條
The crullers are as usual from my past visits slightly on the staler and cold side. The pork floss was barely noticeable but I liked the abundance of pickles. The pancake wrap was missing spring onions or aroma. The other famous shop 阜杭豆漿 definitely makes a version which is way superior. 5/10
Fried Turnip and Egg Cake - 蘿蔔絲蛋餅
A signature here. This was not bad per se, but nothing in terms of flavours really stood out to be impressive. It was also a bit too floury and loose. Definitely worth a try once or twice, but don’t think anyone will leave too impressed I guess? ~ 7/10
Other Optional foods to pick from -
A little limpy in general if you ask me. I have also tried Xiao Long Baos here before, they are also ok edible but barely.
For a Shop which is responsibly and assisted in putting the name of “Yonghe 永和” Suburb onto the Global Presence -
Once again I found the experience to be slightly underwhelming. Yet local Taiwanese friends love here for some reason and it remains highly rated, so may be I just don’t feel nostalgic enough to appreciate here? 阜杭豆漿 to me served superior food as an alternative except 1 dish which was better here, the savory soy bean drink. Personally, I did find some of the fake Yonghe shops in China to serve better food too...
Price: TWD $80-100
Food: ♕♕1/2 to ♕♕♕
Ease of Access: 1/5 (Need Taxi or Car)
Opening Hours:
24 Hours everyday
Address: 新北市永和區永和路二段284號
Ph:（02）8927-0000
Ahh cool you made it here at last! Can't help but wonder if somehow that whatever Anthony Bourdain touches (or visits) makes a restaurant or eatery immediately go downhill afterwards, WSK included. Him and his film crew were here for Layover: Taipei, but they never aired it (although you can see pictures of his visit on the WSK FB page). I also agree with you and perhaps it is a theory, that HK people have certain expectations and tastebuds when it comes to TW food. I liked WSK, but it took two visits for me to get used to the flavor. But perhaps they are indeed losing ground to more well known places like 阜杭豆漿 which I cannot deny from other blog pictures, that they have a more powerful formula and execution.
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